AN: Second update today, I know! But one of you guys requested a one shot on the trip to visit the Redwoods. I'm in a writing mood, so yeah.
REMEMBER TO SEND IN RULES AND REQUESTS! AGAIN, I HAVE THE COMEDIC GENIUS OF A NON-HALLUCOGENIC MUSHROOM. SO I'M PRETTY MUCH A GREY BLOB.
*insert standard disclaimer here*
Ya know, in hindsight, this trip was not one o' my best ideas. For several reasons, really. California was in the middle of a draught and I thought taking a bunch of giant robots, many of whom are pyromaniacs, to see some of the oldest and biggest trees on our mudball of a planet was a good idea. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? I almost said no, like it was leaving my vocal cords and on its way out my mouth. I was just about to speak those dream shattering words, along with some sad excuse like "I'm sorry Bumblebee, it's just not in the budget at the moment. Maybe next year,"when it happened.
Now, don't go thinking I'm a heartless bitch or anything. That title belongs to the majority of my high school graduating class. But back to not being a bitch. I'm thirty-three. I became an elementary school teacher at 23 and taught for ten years. Those were some of the best years of my life. Don't get me wrong, those were some stressful times too. Imagine a brightly colored class room full of a bunch of six year olds screaming their heads off during playtime. I had a regular subscription to Migraine City. But it was still a lot of fun. I had to deal with lots of puppy eyes and trembling lips during those ten years before I was made Director of NEST. I'm pretty good at saying no to big eyes, if I do say so myself.
Back to the event that spawned a disaster. Now, I'm a woman, specifically not a bad looking one either. I have indeed used my 'feminine wiles' to get what I've wanted in the past. I'm 5'10 and like to wear heels, so I naturally have the ability to literally stare down any man stupid enough to get in my way. Combined with my love of aviators, steely blue eyes, and my red hair, I am not afraid to punch you and look fabulous at the same time. But primus, some of these damned 'bots got nothing on me. I mean seriously, have you ever seen Bumblebee's puppy eyes? Have you ever heard that sad trill of his? It fucking pierces your heart...
I ended up agreeing and thus began my descent into my ever growing madness. Luckily, my autobot partner helped with the preparations a lot over the following weeks. Most of the autobots have humans they prefer to work with, as you well know, like Bumblebee and Sam, Barricade and Miles, and the Chevy Twins and Leo. Unlike those losers, no offense to the bots, I'VE got the best autobot partner. He's perfect for me! He makes sure I get my work done, whenever I'm forcing it upon others for 'punishment.' He helped organize my office, I make him take a break and a weekly day off because he's Workaholic Level 85. We balance eachother out. My partner is none other than Optimus Pri-. No. NO. NOOO. I'm joking, I swear. It's Ultra Magnus. He imprinted on me when he first arrived and it's like we just, I don't know, clicked? Eh. Opposites attract I guess.
If the prep for this damn road trip wasn't bad enough, the drive was fucking torture. Thirteen hour long drive. Thirteen hours having to deal with many, many, MANY renditions of the Cybertronian classic "1,000 Cubes of Energon On the Wall," courtesy of Sunny and Sides. Sometimes, Ironhide and Barricade even threw in some insults concerning their heritage to spice things up a little! Yeah, no, we were about six hours in when Magus and I decided we no longer wished to have contact with the outside world and he was kind enough to turn off his comm link. I took a nap for the first time in months. Primus bless him. And I'm pretty Optimus had his off the entire time.
Would you believe me if I said the actual visit was completely uneventful? No, I'm serious. Nothing blew up or anything. They were all too fascinated by everything. It was so peaceful there. So... quiet. I'm normally someone who hates silence, but there, surrounded by these enormous trees, I didn't mind so much. It's a humbling feeling really, being around these ancient life forms, hundreds of years older than you. They've seen so much of the past, and you just know that they're going to outlive you by hundreds of years. It never really registered with me, even though I'd been living with the autobots for months. I still don't know why it was different. Maybe having an actual connection with the trees, being organic and all that... I don't know. I do know that I felt at peace for a long time after that. You know, until Skids and Mudflap got into a fight on the way back to the parking lot.
It was quiet on the drive home. I know none of the humans were asleep for most of the ride home and obviously none of the bots were. But... that was okay. It wasn't a bad silence. I think it was more... pensive than anything...
The best memory I have of that trip was Magnus holding me in hand and letting jump on to a tree branch on one of the smaller trees. We watched the sunset together. It was... nice.
AN2: Well, what'd you think?! Did you like it? Should I do more?
REMEMBER TO SEND IN RULES AND REQUESTS. ALSO, I MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER CHAPTER UP TONIGHT.